Titmouse’s Founder Talks About The Future Of ‘Metalocalypse,’ ‘The Venture Bros.,’ And VR

If you’re talking about adult animation, chances are you’re seconds away from discussing Titmouse. The animation studio has been involved with some of the most well-known and beloved shows in modern animation history from Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Venture Bros. to Metalocalypse and SuperJail! Recently, the studio has even expanded into the world of streaming with the release of the Emmy-winning Amazon children’s show Niko and the Sword of Light. However, that doesn’t mean Titmouse has abandoned its most beloved projects.

“We’re working on Season 7 of Venture Bros. That’ll be done at some point,” Titmouse’s Founder Chris Prynoski said in an interview with Decider.

When asked if there were any plans for new episodes of Metalocalypse, Prynoski confirmed that there are no plans for new episodes in the works. “There’s little chatter here and there about small things, but I don’t think you’re going to see it come back as a series,” he said. “You know, that, I think that ship has sailed. There may be mini things in the future on that — I’m not sure what’s going to happen as far as those things go.”

However, that doesn’t mean Titmouse’s creative relationship with Metalocalypse creator Brendon Small is over. The studio has been working with Small on a music video for a song from his latest concept album, Brendon Small’s Galaktikon II: Become The Storm. “It’s going to sound very much like a Dethklok album,” he said. Prynoski also revealed that the company was creating the first ever VR heavy metal video for the album.

“We worked on it for about a month before Annecy, which is an animation festival in France. We showed a work in progress there, and now we’re just going to do just a little work to complete it,” he said. “It’s a space opera, you know like rock opera, so … you’re driving a spaceship through outer space.”

From content for Bill Nye Saves the World to the original VR game Smash Party, which focuses on smashing as many things as possible, the studio has been experimenting with virtual reality more than most companies. Prynoski thinks once the medium grows, it will have applications in training, traveling, and medicine. But the company has found creating entertainment-focused VR content to be challenging. “Pure entertainment that’s not a game, you know like narrative entertainment, and comedy specifically, is tough. We’re trying to crack that,” he said. “But, in my opinion, it’s going to be less about telling stories, like narrative plot stories, and more about introducing your viewer to comedic characters.”

The animator and founder also revealed which shows and movies influenced him growing up. Scooby-Doo, Hannah-Barbera cartoons, Starblazers, and Battle of the Planets all made the list, but Ralph Bakshi is the creator who left the biggest mark on Prynoski. The filmmaker is best known for creating The Lord of the Rings, and Fritz the Cat. “He made like, you know, really independent, weirdo, adult films when I was a teenager and starting to get into thinking I might do this for a living.”

When asked what animated projects have impressed him lately, Prynoski showed off his Adult Swim knowledge, referencing a Masafumi Harada anime that used to run on Toonami. “Space Dandy is probably my favorite thing that I’ve seen recently.”

As for what projects the company has planned for the future, we can expect at least one other Titmouse-produced pilot on Adult Swim. “There’s a new one we’re doing called Ballmastrz [9669] that is created by Christy Karacas who created Superjail!, so it will have his sensibility. It will have a little of a different style, but that’s a really cool one,” he said.

Prynoski also teased an unannounced Adult Swim project. “I don’t think has been announced yet, so I can’t talk about,” he said. “I think if you liked Metalocalypse, you’ll like this one. It’s not so different in tone.”